One of Apple’s flagship features, the iPhone, seems to be coming to Android users soon. The feature in question is the ability to track a smartphone even when it’s turned off or in a powered-off state. This feature has been available on iPhones since 2021.
Google had previously added the “Find My Devices” feature a few years ago, introducing the ability to track Android smartphones without requiring an internet connection. However, it appears that Google is following in Apple’s footsteps and is preparing a new feature that can track smartphones even when they are turned off.
Android 14 Find My Device Can Track Smartphones Even When Powered Off
This rumor comes from Kuba Wojciechowski via 91mobiles, who stated that Google is working on an even more advanced Find My Device feature and has given it the name Pixel Power-off Finder, at least for smartphones released by Google.
According to Kuba, Google will also follow Apple’s lead and release a large network using Android smartphones, including the use of tracking devices similar to Apple AirTags. It is rumored that Google will also release their own product, currently codenamed ‘grogu’, along with several other products.
Availability of Google’s Find My Device Feature on All Devices is Not Confirmed
There are also rumors that Google has provided the source code for Android 14 faster to OEM developers who participate in the Early Access Program (EAP). Therefore, it is likely that this feature will not be exclusive to Google Pixel devices only, but will be available on all devices that use Android 14 in the future.
This tracking feature will be similar to its implementation on iDevices. It requires Bluetooth signals, which means the chip must always be on even when the device is powered off. However, it is not yet confirmed whether specialized hardware is needed or if optimization from the software side is sufficient to use this tracking feature.
